UK Youth Parliament
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The UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) is an independent charity that has members of young people from all over the UK.
Introduction
Most groups view the UK youth parliament as a highly effective organisation, which commands the attention of members of parliament and government ministers. However, the UKYP is regarded by some as being a pressure group rather than a true Parliament. It receives funding from the Department for Education and Skills (DFES) leading some young people's representative groups to question its independence. Over 400 young people are elected from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland annually to represent the views of their constituents to the government and local decision-makers.
The UKYP produces an annual manifesto which mirrors the remit of government departments. They also hold an annual sitting at which the manifesto is put together and ratified, as well planning national campaigns on issues of importance to young people. The UKYP currently supports campaigns including votes at 16 and a national concession card for young people.
The next Annual Sitting (which will be the 6th sitting for the organisation) will be held at the University of Leicester from Friday 21st July to Monday 24th July 2006. This promises to involve over 400 young people from all across the UK coming to the event and making their voices heard.
Governance
UKYP has a 21 strong Board of Trustees who are drawn from and represent the various stakeholder groups of UKYP.
UKYP is a registered charity governed by a Board of Management. The Registered Charity (No. 1084716) is called Democracy for Young People Ltd. (t/a United Kingdom Youth Parliament). UKYP is an Associated Company Limited by Guarantee (No. 4147120). The Board of Trustees is also the Company's Directorship.
Over half of the positions on the Board are reserved for young people aged 18-25 who are elected regionally by Members of Youth Parliament every two years - each of these 12 Trustees represent young people in UKYP from their region - the nine English regions, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The Board of Trustees is responsible to the Membership for ensuring that UKYP fulfils its objectives as defined in the charity's Memorandum and business plan, and have specific responsibilities which include the management of UKYP staff and finances and strategic planning.
The Board has the Sub Groups which enable work to completed outside of meetings and for the wider Membership, supporters and expertise to be drawn in as necessary. These are:
Audit, Finance and Property
Corporate Development
Human Resources
A Board member leads each of these groups.
Trustees of the UK Youth Parliament
Melody Hossaini – Co-Chair - representing young people in UKYP in the West Midlands
Vernon Coaker MP – Co-Chair - Labour MP for Gedling
Charlotte Ali - representing young people in Wales
Sam Bennetts - representing young people in the South West
Chris Bennetts - representing young people in Yorkshire and Humberside
Frederick Bernas - representing young people in London
Katie Brown - representing young people in the North East
Sam Ellis - representing young people in the East Midlands
Tim Farron MP - Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale
Danny Gibson - representing youth organisations in Scotland
Sussan Gossage - representing young people in the North West
Charles Hendry MP – Conservative MP for Wealden
Daniel Hutchinson - representing young people in the East of England
Umar Kankiya - Continuity trustee
Sally Keverne – Youth Participation Co-ordinator for Kent County Council, representing Local Authorities and Youth Services
Michael Leathem - representing young people in Northern Ireland
Hilary Lynn - representing young people in Scotland
James Moody – Finance Sub Committee lead
Lauren Sullivan - representing young people in the South East
Ashley Sweetland - Director, Youth Strategy at Corporate Culture. Former Co-Chair and South West representative. Board member with lead responsibility for Child Protection.
Sally Whitaker - Director of Resources & Marketing at the National Children's Bureau, representing the Voluntary and Community Sector
Staff
Andy Hamflett- Chief Executive
Peter Clarke- Company Secretary
Kate Parish- Development Co-ordinator
Gail Lucas- Regional Development Manager (North)
Alan Turkie- Regional Development Manager (South)
Victoria Cliff-Hodges- Project Consultant
Darryl Sheppard- International Officer
Mike Hurley- Gypsy and Travellers' Participation Officer
Tom Lodziak- Administration, Publicity & Events Assistant
Regional Co-ordinators
As well as staff based at head office in London there are also Regional-Cordinators based in each region:
Sharon Adams - South West Regional Co-ordinator
Nikki Brooker - London Regional Co-ordinator (Also the first young person on the steering group for the UK Youth Parliament in 1997)
Doug Hallam - North East Regional Co-ordinator
Elizabeth Harding - North West Regional Co-ordinator
Fred Hutchinson - Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Development Officer
Richard Moulson - Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Co-ordinator
Joseph Poon - South East Regional Co-ordinator
Fred Rennie - East Midlands Regional Co-ordinator
Anna Sterckx - West Midlands Regional Co-ordinator
Tracy Brennan - Northern Ireland Regional Co-ordinator
Contact
The UK Youth Parliament can be contacted via post, telephone, fax or e-mail:
UK Youth Parliament, 8 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7QE
Telephone: 020 7843 6310
Fax: 020 7843 6038
E-mail: mail@ukyouthparliament.org.uk
See also
External links
- [UKYP Home Page]
- [MYP Profiles]
- [London Region]
- [East Midlands Region]
- [South East Region]
- [The Department for Education and Skills]
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